Workers, such as mechanics, brick layers, tile setters, painters, and welders, are often required to perform their tasks from a kneeling position. Maintaining the kneeling position as well as moving to and from the kneeling position typically places a great deal of strain on the worker. The worker must make many transition movements from kneeling to sitting to standing in a typical workday. The body stress associated with the worker's kneeling position and with the transition to and from the kneeling position contributes greatly to the workers fatigue and increases the likelihood of work related injuries, particularly injuries to the worker's knees and lower back.
A number of kneeling apparatus have been proposed over the years to assist the kneeling working and in an effort to alleviate the stress and fatigue associated with the kneeling position of the worker. Among those is U.S. Pat. No. 5, 870, 774 to Legenstein for strap-on wheeled knee pads for workers who must work on their knees. The knee pads have a hard shell knee pad supported on a plurality of swiveling casters. Another kneeling aid was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 294,546 to Opsvik for an ornamental design for a combined seat and kneeler. A cushioned seat supported on a pedestal having three support points is disclosed. One of the support points is a wheel positioned toward the rear of the seat.
Another kneeling apparatus is that shown in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 317,833 to Miller et al. The Miller et al. patent disclosed an ornamental design for a kneeler having a rectangular knee pads for supporting a workers knees and vertically positioned combination handles and tool boxes. Still another device is that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,021 to Doherty for a mobile knee support apparatus. The Doherty apparatus discloses a pair of horseshoe shaped frames supported on casters. A sling of sheet material is spread on each frame for supporting the knees. The frames are connected by a flexible connector or a rigid sheet.
Still another device is U.S. Pat. No. Des. 330,957 for a combined creeper and tool caddy. The design discloses a wheeled creeper having knee supports. Another kneeling device is that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,978 to Gillings, Jr. for a body supporting structure for supporting the user in a combined kneeling and sifting position.
None of the devices allow the worker to have sitting support and knee support as he moves about on his knees while working. Further, none of these devices allow the worker to have sifting support during the transition from a kneeling to a sifting position while allowing free and easily controlled mobility from a kneeling position. Finally, none of these devices allow the worker to maintain a sifting position or a kneeling position as the worker may desire.
Considering the foregoing, a need exists for an improved kneeing apparatus that provides sifting support to the user's buttocks and lower back, facilitates the worker's movements while in a kneeling position and allows the worker to make an easy transition from a kneeling position to a sitting position.